The Federal Automobile Information Disclosure Act

Overview of the Federal Automobile Information Disclosure Act

The Federal Automobile Information Disclosure Act, or “Price Sticker Act,” requires automobile manufacturers to place stickers containing certain information on the windows of all new cars. The Act is commonly known as the “Monroney Act,” in reference to Mike Monroney, the Act’s chief sponsor in the United States Senate. The stickers required by the Act are often called “Monroney stickers.”

The Act requires the manufacturer to affix the sticker on the windshield or side window of any new passenger car or station wagon before the car is delivered to a dealer. The Act prohibits the removal or alteration of the sticker prior to the sale of the car. Therefore, only the buyer of the car may remove the sticker.

Contents of a Monroney Sticker

The sticker must clearly and legibly state:

The make, model, and serial or identification number of the car

The final assembly point of the car

The name, location, and place of business of the dealer to whom the car is to be delivered

The name of the city or town at which the car is to be delivered to the dealer

The method of transportation used in making delivery of the car, if the car is driven or towed from the final assembly point to the place of delivery

The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the car

The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for optional equipment installed on the car

The amount charged to the dealer for the transportation of the car to the place of delivery

The total amount of the last three items listed above

Penalties

The Federal Automobile Information Disclosure Act provides civil and criminal penalties for violations of the Act. A manufacturer that willfully fails to comply with the Act may be fined up to $ 1,000 for each violation. A person who willfully removes or alters a Monroney sticker from a car prior to its delivery to a buyer may be fined up to $ 1,000 and imprisoned for not more than one year.